Ministry of Culture
President of India to confer National Lalit Kala Akademi Awards to 15 artists in New Delhi tomorrow
Culture Minister Sh. Prahlad Singh Patel to inaugurate the 61st National Exhibition of Art and National Kala Mela in New Delhi tomorrow
Lalit Kala Akademi’s 61st annual awards shall be conferred by the President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind to 15 artists on March 4th, 2020 at 11 AM at the Rashtrapati Bhavan lawns in New Delhi. The Minister of Culture Sh. Prahlad Singh Patel and the Akademi Chairman Dr. Uttam Pacharne shall also grace the awards ceremony.
The fifteen awardees chosen by the esteemed panel of Jury are- Anoop Kumar Manzukhi Gopi , David Malakar , Devendra Kumar Khare , Dinesh Pandya , Faruque Ahmed Halder , Hari Ram Kumbhawat , Keshari Nandan Prasad , Mohan Kumar T , Ratan Krishna Saha  Sagar Vasant Kamble  Satwinder Kaur , Sunil Thiruvayur , Tejaswi Narayan Sonawane , Yashpal Singh , Yashwant Singh .The Akademi nominated seven member selection Jury of eminent art practitioners, artists and critics from all over the country to finalise the list of artists to be awarded from among 283 artworks selected by the first tier Jury. The National exhibition of Art not only brings together the precious work of art and talent together from across the country but also showcases the finer nuances of Indian culture and aesthetics to the world thus promoting the Indian artworks in the international art market.
In the evening, at 5 PM on March 4thCulture Minister Sh. Prahlad Singh Patel shall inaugurate the 61st National Exhibition of Art andNational Kala Mela at the Akademi premises of Ravindra Bhavan, Mandi House.The Lt. Governor of Delhi Sh. Anil Baijal is slated to preside over the function in the august presence of Akademi chairman Dr. Uttam Pacharne.
The works of eminent artists Anjali Ila Menon, Paramjeet Singh, Arpita Singh, Gogi Sarojpal, late John Fernandes and Vasudev Kamat are also scheduled to be displayed at the exhibition under the Special Invitation category. The National awardees have been selected by a jury of eminent artists. The organisation of art exhibitions and award ceremonies is an annual exercise by the Akademi to promote art and aesthetics in the society as well as to reward the extra ordinary talents to perform even better in future. The exhibition brings together the works of brilliance from across the country and also encourages budding art talents to learn new tendencies and mediums in the world of painting, sculpture, graphics, photography, drawing, installation and multimedia etc. The objective of the National Exhibition of Art, 2019-20 is to showcase the works of art of excellence both in terms of material application and aesthetic appeal. The 61st National Exhibition of Art, 2019-20 is scheduled to be continued till March 22nd, 2020 and the Kala Mela concludes on March 9th, 2020.
“The 61st edition of National Exhibition of Art shall generate a new creative wave in the New India of the Prime Minister sh. Narendra Modi's vision in the expression of creative talent and shall also provide an opportunity to the viewers to appreciate the best in Arts in the country"saidthe Chairman Lalit Kala Akademi Dr. Uttam Pacharne. He also expressed confidence that the 61st National Exhibition of Art is more than just an exercise in participation and contribution of the art practitioners from all over the country. According to Sh. Pacharne, “it ideates the truth that art is more than a mere conversation between art lovers and artists; it is a bond between the initiator and the spectator. I congratulate all the awardees and participants.”
About Lalit Kala Akademi
Lalit Kala Akademi the National Academy of Arts is an institution that has rendered service to the arts in the nation long before the world woke up to the global impact of Indian Art. Through the leadership of its members and staff, the Lalit Kala Akademi manifests a commitment to the service of the visual arts by establishing, preserving and documenting visual art of the highest order that in turn reflects the vitality, complexity and unfolding patterns of ancient, modern and contemporary art in India.
As a cultural body that hovers above the entire Indian subcontinent, it plays a role in inter-linking the diverse cultures of India to weave an aesthetic spread that is noted for its colourful threads of creative genius and brilliant designs that delineate fascinating features of Indian life. Perceiving Indian culture comprehensively with all its artistic impulses, conflicts, contradictions and limitations, the Akademi has been functioning with the panoramic view of involving all genres of creativity in its activities. It has a vision that takes care of the traditional art of India as well as of helping artists to imbibe many of the contemporary happenings in the international art scene.
Lalit Kala Akademi, National Academy of Art, New Delhi was set up by the Government of India as an autonomous body, on 5th August, 1954. The Akademi was given statutory authority in 1957, under the Societies Registration Act 1860. Since its establishment it has been serving the entire country by promoting the creative endeavors of Indian artists and bringing their arts to bear upon a large number of people, thereby playing an important role in defining and redefining, the sensibility of an entire culture, falling under the visual arts spectrum